Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Francesco Pipitone

Luca Giuseppe De Ambroggi

Francesco Tomaiuolo

Salvatore Nicosia

Promod Kumar

Salvatore Giove

Francesco Tomaiulo

Kumar Promod

Pierpaolo Nicosia

Giuseppe Piazza

An Electric Wafer Sort (EWS) flow is implemented by expanding the functions of the micro-controller embedded in a FLASH EPROM memory device and of the integrated test structures. Test routines are executed by the onboard micro-controllers (that may be reading either from an embedded ROM or from a GLOBAL CACHE provided) internally without involving any external complex or expensive test equipment to control the test program. The device architecture is transparent from a tester point of view, with a standard interface having a set of defined commands and instructions to be interpreted by the on board microcontroller and internally executed.

Built-in testing methodology in flash memory

A circuit for controlling a reference node in a sense amplifier switchable between an operating mode and a stand-by mode is provided. The reference node provides a reference voltage in the operating mode. The circuit may include circuitry for bringing the reference node to a starting voltage upon entry into the stand-by mode, circuitry for keeping the reference node at a pre-charging voltage in the stand-by mode, and circuitry for providing a comparison voltage closer to the pre-charging voltage than the starting voltage. Pulling circuitry may also be included for pulling the reference node toward a power supply voltage. Further, a controller may activate the pulling circuitry upon entering the stand-by mode, and disable the pulling circuitry when the voltage at the reference node reaches the comparison voltage.

Circuit for controlling a reference node in a sense amplifier

Growing community of inventors

Palermo, Italy

Francesco Pipitone